DRG has revealed it’s expansion plans for the Paesano and Sugo brands which they bought from Paul Stevenson last year. It follows a record-breaking 12 months with annual turnover hitting nearly £50 million.
DRG, which also owns the Di Maggio’s, Café Andaluz and Amarone has said that they expect to open at least six restaurants, and are planning to open three in the next 12 months including another Paesano at the old Di Maggios site in Shawlands.
The group, which also owns Atlantic Brasserie and the The Anchor Line, has also announced plans to expand the Paesano and Sugo brands both “north and south of the border” in the years ahead.
DRG which is owned by Mario Gizzi and Tony Conetta, is Scotland’s most successful family owned independent restaurant group employing around 1000 people. It was a real coup for DRG when Paul Stevenson revealed that he had been approached by corporate companies and by private equity groups who wanted to buy the Paesano and Sugo businesses. However, he chose to sell to a fellow Glasgow-based family-owned business.
Mario Gizzi told DRAM at the time, “We are honoured to be in that position and will spend the next few months learning about the business and getting to know the team.
“It is a formula that works and there are no plans to tinker with it. Once we understand it, we will try to roll out both brands in a structured fashion.”